Method of composing, casting, and making up line slugs for multiple column printing



. E. owENs METHOD OF COMPOSING, CASTING,y AND MAKING UP LINE SLUGS FOR MULTIPLE COLUMN PRINTING April 2,- 1940.

File'd Feb.v 15, 1939 MIF; .57

Patented Apr.. 2, 194e UNITEDv STATES PATENTI ori-*ICE COLUMN PRINTINGv Leo E. Owens, St. Paul; Minn.

Application February 15, 1939, Serial No. 256,479'

2 Claims.

It is an object of this invention to provide a novel method for conserving paper in multiple column printing and at the same time to produce printed pages having wide spaces between col- 6 umns. y

A particular object is tovsecure economy in the use of paper and improved appearance of the printed page by a novel method of composing and casting line slugs wherein the matrices for l each line are condensed to an imperceptible degree and the ends of the lines are indented from both ends of the slugs without substantial reduction of the number of matrices in each line.

Other objects will appear-and be more fully pointed out in the following specification and claims. f

I t is common 'practice in newspaper and other multiple column printing to employ line casting machines in which the matrices for each line are so composed that the end type are substantially flush with the ends of the slugs. This makes it necessary to employ wide rules between columns in the make-up where adequatespacing of the columns is desired. Where the wider rule is employed increased cost of paper results. This is particularly marked in multiple column printing such as in newspaper printing where eight co1- umns to the page is common. A saving of a few points per column results in a large saving in the amount of paper necessarily used.

lBy employing my improved method, a saving of upward of three points per column is effected while obtaining the appearance of wide intercolumn rules and otherwise rendering the printed page comparable in appearance to the more expensive wide column rule make-up. For example, by indenting the type from both ends of the line slugs to the extent of only oneand one-half points at each end and employing a three-point o rule between columns, I save twenty-one points on the width of paper required for each page, as compared with using a six point rule and ordinary methods of producing a page having like appearance. Without sacrificing quality of ap- 45 pearance, the accumulated saving that results in the course of a year fora metropolitan newspaper publisher, for example, is enormous.

In carrying out my invention ordinary line casting machines, such as the Linotype or Inter- 50 type machines, may be employed. With either of these types of composing machines the vise jaws are first moved toward `each other, from their normal end-of-the-slug position, a distance equal, to the indent desired for the end type rela- 55 tive tothe ends of the line slugs. For example,

(ci. v.19a-5o) to produce an indent kequal lto one and one-half points, the vise jaws are closed from their iiush right and left -positions one and one-half points each. The matrices are then composed in the line in the usual manner, without reduction of the number in the line, and the justication bar is operated to-actuate the space bands and thereby justify the line with the matrices slightly condensed or consolidated as compared to their normal or ordinary spacing. Finally the line is cast 10 as usual but with the end type of the line indented the desired distance from the ends of the slug.

The line slugs for a page are composed and cast in the manner described and are then made- V18 up in columns in a chase with narrow rules'between columns, as shown in the accompanying drawing. With lthe type face of each line in dented one and one-half points from the ends of theslugs and by employing three point column 20 rules, the columns are so spaced and ruled as to give the appearance of a sixvpoint rule without the indenting. At the same time the normal or usual number of type are contained in each line so that there is a substantial saving in the paper 25 required for the printed pages.

Referring to thev drawing:

Figure 1 is a vertical section through a plurality of column rules and showing three of my improved line slugs as they are made-up in a chase:

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the usual varlrangement of the common line slugs made-up with wide column rules, and

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic plan view illustrating the make-up in a chase containing eight columns of my improved line castings resulting in a reduction of the width of the page.

In the drawing line slugs made in accordance with my invention are indicated by the numeral 40 4, the type on the faces of the slugs by the numeral 5, and narrow, type-high column rules by they-numeral 6. `The indents of the typev from the ends of the slugs are indicated at 1. It will be evident that column spacing equal to the width 'of the column rules 6 plus twice the -indent l is obtained by thel procedure described. This spacing is indicated at A in Fig. 1. As shown in Fig. 2, ordinary line slugs 8 have the type 9 flush with the ends of the slugs so that it is necessary to employ a wide column rule I0 to produce a column spacing B equal to the spacing A with my improved slugs. As the result of the imperceptible consolidation of the type in each line, a saving in the total width of each column results.

The` sum of the savings in the three columns shown is indicated at C in Fig. 2,.y

Fig. 3 shows diagrammatically a chase il containing eight columns of my improved line castings separated by narrow column rules 6. A chase containing a like number of type cast and made-up according to the old method, represented by the make-up shown in Fig. 2, would be considerably wider, as indicated bythe dotted lines i2 in Fig. 3.

It will thus be evident that by my improved method I effect a considerable saving in the width aigue? indent dimension at each end being approximately 1% points justifying said matrices, casting line slugs therefrom and making-up the slugs so formed in columns 'with narrow, type-high co1- umn .rules whereby column spacing substantially greater than the width of the column rules is obtained and the columns are condensed laterally.

2. The method of conserving paper in multiple column printing by the use of a line casting machine and narrow column rules between columns which comprises the steps of setting the vise jaws of the vcasting machine to indent the matrices uniformly from both ends of the line slugs approximately 11/2 points, composing the matrices for each line between the jaws so set, without substantially reducing the number of matrices to the line, justifying said matrices in each line, casting the line slugs so composed, making-up said slugs in columns with approximately 3 point intercolumn, type-high rules and utilizing said make-up in the printing of laterally condensed columns.

LEO E. OWENS. 

